Stabilization in the ZaP Flow Z-Pinch

The ZaP flow Z-pinch experiment at the University of Washington investigates the innovative plasma confinement concept of using sheared flows to stabilize an otherwise unstable configuration. The ZaP experiment generates an axially flowing Z-pinch that is 1 m long with a 1 cm radius with a coaxial accelerator coupled to a pinch assembly chamber. Magnetic probes measure the fluctuation levels of the azimuthal modes m = 1, 2, and 3. After assembly, the plasma is magnetically confined for an extended quiescent period where the mode activity is significantly reduced. Experimental measurements show a sheared flow profile that is coincident with the low magnetic fluctuations during the quiescent period. Recent experimental modifications produce more energetic Z-pinch plasmas that exhibit the same general behavior. The plasma equilibrium is characterized with a suite of diagnostics that measure the plasma density, magnetic field, ion and electron temperatures, in addition to plasma flow. The equilibrium is shown to satisfy radial force balance.     

Linear and Nonlinear Development of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">m</Emphasis> = 0 Instability in Z-Pinch Equilibria with Axial Sheared Flows

The effect of sheared flows on the m = 0 instability development in a z-pinch is numerically investigated using a 2D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code. The behavior of both internal and free-boundary modes is studied by using two types of initial configurations: a diffuse Bennett equilibrium and a free-boundary parabolic equilibrium. It was found that sheared flows change the m = 0 development by reducing the linear growth rates, decreasing the saturation amplitude, and modifying the instability spectrum. Full stability can be obtained for supersonic plasma flows, but a larger shear is needed to obtain stabilization of free-boundary modes.     

Results of the Inner Electrode Modification on the ZaP Flow Z-Pinch

The ZaP Flow Z-Pinch is a basic plasma physics experiment that uses sheared flows to stabilize an otherwise unstable configuration. The inner electrode is replaced with a larger version (15 cm diameter presently versus 10 cm previously). The goal of this modification is to increase temperature through increased adiabatic compression and to allow greater flexibility of neutral-gas injection through a greater number of gas-puff valves. Results are presented regarding the effect of neutral-gas injection characteristics and charge voltage on pinch stability. Increasing capacitor bank voltage and mass of gas injected increases stability and proximity to the machine axis. A four-chord HeNe interferometer is used to determine density at z = 0 cm and total temperature using magnetic field information from the z = 0 azimuthal array of magnetic probes. Total temperatures of 100–150 eV and densities of 2–3 × 10²² m⁻³ are calculated; temperatures are consistent with measured electron and ion temperatures.     

MHD Properties of Low-aspect Ratio RFP in RELAX

The low-aspect-ratio (A) reversed field pinch (RFP) offers attractive properties such as enhanced bootstrap current and simpler MHD mode dynamics. The RELAX (REversed field pinch of Low-Aspect ratio eXperiment) machine with the world’s lowest A of 2 (R/a = 0.5 m/0.25 m) has been constructed to explore the RFP properties in low-A regime. In flat-topped low-A RFP discharges in RELAX, plasma current of ~50 kA has been attained with discharge duration of ~2 ms. In round-topped discharges with plasma current of ~70 kA, quasi-periodic growth of a single helical mode has been observed. When the dominant m = 1/n = 4 mode grows, the toroidal mode spectrum looks like that of the quasi-single helicity (QSH) RFP state with higher amplitude. MHD equilibrium analyses using a reconstruction code have shown that the bootstrap current fraction is lower than ~5% in the present RELAX plasmas, and it will be ~25% if we could achieve the plasma density of 4 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ and electron temperature of 300 eV at plasma current of ~100 kA.     

Stabilization in the ZaP Flow Z-Pinch

The stabilizing effect of a sheared axial flow is investigated in an axially flowing Z-pinch that is 1 m long with a 1 cm radius. After pinch assembly the plasma is magnetically confined for an extended quiescent period where the magnetic fluctuation levels of the azimuthal modes m = 1, 2, 3 are significantly reduced. Time-resolved Doppler shifts of plasma impurity lines are measured to determine the plasma axial velocity profiles showing a large, but sub-Alfvenic, sheared flow during the quiescent period and low shear profiles during periods of high mode activity. The plasma has a sheared axial flow that exceeds the theoretical threshold for stability during the quiescent period and is lower than the threshold during periods of high mode activity. The sheared flow profile is coincident with a plasma quiescent period where magnetic mode fluctuations are low. The threshold value and plasma lifetime are experimentally adjusted by controlling the plasma density and plasma supply, which is varied by altering the amount of injected neutral gas. Nonlinear simulations of the Z-pinch are performed using Mach2 for a static plasma, a uniform shear, and a shear localized at the pinch radius.     

High-Beta Steady-State FRC Plasma Sustained by Rotating Magnetic Field with Spatial High-Harmonic Components

Field-reversed configurations (FRCs) driven by rotating magnetic fields (RMFs) with spatial high-harmonic components have been studied in the metal flux conserver of the FRC injection experiment (FIX). The high-harmonic RMF method has some unique features; (1) field lines of the RMF do not penetrate or cross the vessel wall, (2) selective penetration/exclusion of the fundamental/high-harmonic RMF component will result in a generation of effective magnetic pressure near the separatrix, which helps to keep the separatrix away from the vessel wall, (3) strong azimuthal non-uniformity of the RMF will cause the n = 4 deformation of the core FRC plasma, which will eliminate the destructive modes caused by the rotation of the plasma column. The RMF method with high harmonics will provide quasi-steady current drive of high-beta FRC plasmas without destructive n = 2 rotational mode and will be helpful in reducing the particle loss and thermal load when applied to the fusion core plasma.     

Internal Magnetic Field Measurements in the TCSU RMF Current Drive Experiment

Detailed magnetic measurements of Field-reversed configurations (FRC) from the Translation Confinement Sustainment Upgrade (TCSU) experiment are presented. A two-axis probe inserted transversely at the axial midplane provides 24 independent measurements of B _z (r) and B _x (r). Two single-axis 29 channel probes provide axial profiles at the plasma edge. The B _x (r) field profiles, oriented to measure B_θ from the rotating magnetic field (RMF), provide details about RMF penetration into the FRC. B _z (r) profiles, when combined with the high beta nature of the FRC, interferometric density measurements, and assuming uniform temperature, yield radial density and pressure profiles. Time evolution of these profiles gives insight into plasma dynamics and the n = 1 (wobble) and n = 2 instabilities. Data from 123 and 172 kHz RMF frequencies is presented.     

Computation of Mass Sweeping Efficiency Factor and Current Efficiency Factor in Z-pinch Devices

In this paper, mass sweeping efficiency factor (f _m ) and current efficiency factor (f _i ) have been computed for Z-pinch devices. We used slug model for analysis of Z-pinch dynamics. Magnetic piston reaps electrons and ions in duration of motion. But only a fraction of plasma mass sweeps with magnetic piston, therefore we should add mass sweeping efficiency factor (f _m ) in equations. Such like alone the fraction of electrical current flows of magnetic piston and remainder of it flows of internal and external radial of magnetic piston, so we should add f _i in equations. In this paper, equations are solved with characteristics of CERN Z-pinch device (its length and radius, resistivity, circuit inductance and capacitanc and plasma inductance) and with values of Boggasch experiments (discharge voltage: 15 kV, initial pressure: 400 pa). Recorded code runs with different values of f _m and f _i and in each section, pinch time and pinch current are compared with Boggasch experimental values. Optimum values for f _m and f _i obtain with Comparing between numerical values and experimental values. These values are f _i  = 0.8 and f _m  = 0.08.     

Effects of Resonant Helical Field (RHF) on Equilibrium Properties of IR-T1 Tokamak Plasma

In this paper we present an experimental study of effects of Resonant Helical Field (RHF) on Shafranov parameter and Shafranov shift in IR-T1 tokamak. For this purpose a four magnetic pickup coils were designed, constructed, and installed on outer surface of the IR-T1 tokamak chamber, and then the Shafranov parameter and Shafranov shift obtained. On the other hand, the external RHF applied on tokamak plasma and its effects on results measured. Experimental results of measurements with and without RHF (L = 2, L = 3, L = 2 & 3) show that the addition of a relatively small amount of RHF especially L = 3 mode could be effective for improving the quality of tokamak plasma discharge by flatting the plasma current and reducing the Shafranov parameter and Shafranov shift.     

Stellarator-Mirror Based Fusion Driven Fission Reactor

The version of fusion driven system (FDS), a sub-critical fast fission assembly with a fusion plasma neutron source, theoretically investigated here is based on a stellarator with a small mirror part. In the magnetic well of the mirror part, fusion reactions occur from collision of an RF heated hot ion component (tritium), with high perpendicular energy with cold background plasma ions. The hot ions are assumed to be trapped in the magnetic mirror part. The stellarator part which connects to the mirror part provides confinement for the bulk (deuterium) plasma. Calculations based on a power balance analysis indicate the possibility to achieve a net electric power output with a compact FDS device. For representative thermal power output of a power plant (P _th ≈ P _fis = 0.5–2 GW) the computed electric Q-factor is in the range Q _el = 8–14, which indicates high efficiency of the FDS scheme.     

Plasma scenarios, equilibrium configurations and control in the design of FAST

The Fusion Advanced Studies Torus (FAST) conceptual study has been proposed [A. Pizzuto on behalf of the Italian Association, The Fusion Advanced Studies Torus (FAST): a proposal for an ITER Satellite facility in support of the development of fusion energy, in: Proceedings of 22nd IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Geneva, Switzerland, October 13–18, 2008; Nucl. Fusion, submitted for publication] as possible European ITER Satellite facility with the aim of preparing ITER operation scenarios and helping DEMO design and R&D. Insights into ITER regimes of operation in deuterium plasmas can be obtained from investigations of non linear dynamics that are relevant for the understanding of alpha particle behaviours in burning plasmas by using fast ions accelerated by heating and current drive systems.FAST equilibrium configurations have been designed in order to reproduce those of ITER with scaled plasma current, but still suitable to fulfil plasma conditions for studying burning plasma physics issues in an integrated framework. In this paper we report the plasma scenarios that can be studied on FAST, with emphasis on the aspect of its flexibility in terms of both performance and physics that can be investigated. All plasma equilibria satisfy the following constraints: (a) minimum distance of 3 energy e-folding length (assumed to be 1 cm on the equatorial plane) between plasma and first wall to avoid interaction between plasma and main chamber; (b) maximum current density in the poloidal field coils, transiently, up to around 30 MA/m². The discharge duration is always limited by the heating of the toroidal field coils that are inertially cooled by helium gas at 30 K. The location of the poloidal field coils has been optimized in order to: minimize the magnetic energy; produce enough magnetic flux (up to 35 Wb stored) for the formation and sustainment of each scenario; produce a good field null at the plasma break-down (B_P/B_T < 2 × 10⁻⁴ at low field, i.e. B_T = 4 T and E_T = 2 V/m for at least 40 ms).Plasma position and shape control studies will also be presented. The optimization of the passive shell position slows the vertical stability growth time down to 100 ms.     

Simulations of turbulence, heat transfer and mixing across narrow gaps between rod-bundle subchannels

Turbulent flow and temperature fields were determined numerically in a rectangular duct containing a heated rod. As the spacing δ between the rod and the duct wall decreased from 0.10D (D is the rod diameter) to 0.03D, coherent turbulent kinetic energy and temperature fluctuations dramatically increased in the gap region, but, for δ = 0.01D, coherent fluctuations essentially disappeared. As δ/D → 0, the frequency of coherent fluctuations decreased and cross-gap mixing weakened, contrary to predictions based on extrapolated available empirical correlations.     

Mitigation of edge localised modes with magnetic perturbations in ASDEX Upgrade

The first stage of a significant enhancement of the ASDEX Upgrade experiment with in-vessel coils for non-axisymmetric magnetic perturbations is now operational. First experiments have shown that ELM mitigation can be achieved using various perturbation field configurations with toroidal mode numbers n = 1, 2, 4. The main access criteria is the plasma edge pedestal density to exceed a threshold, which takes the lowest value of about 60% of the Greenwald density for resonant |n| = 1 perturbations. In H-mode plasmas, mode locking or error field-induced magnetic islands are generally not observed. Due to the low local shear of the plasma magnetic field in the vicinity of the perturbation coils around the outboard midplane, the magnetic perturbation is resonant simultaneously on several rational surfaces. It is hypothesised that the existence of image currents on these surfaces ensures good shielding of the error field in the confined plasma.     

Experimental observation of reverse- sheared Alfvén eigenmodes (RSAEs) in ELMy H-mode plasma on the EAST tokamak

Reverse-sheared Alfvén eigenmodes (RSAEs) have been observed by using an interferometer and ECE diagnostics in NBI heated ELMy H-mode plasma on EAST tokamak. A typical feature of these modes is a fast frequency sweeping upward from ∼80 kHz to ∼110 kHz in hundred milliseconds during which the plasma temperature, density and rotation keeps no change. Only core channels of the interferometer can observe these modes, implying a core localized mode. The ECE measurement further showed that these modes located at about ρ=0.37–0.46, just around the position of q_min with ρ∼0.4. These core localized modes are very weak in the magnetic fluctuations measured by mirnov probes mounted at the machine vacuum vessel. A multiple frequency fluctuation component, seemingly the so-called ‘grand cascades’, was also clearly observed on the ECE signal at ρ=0.46. During the phase, a transient internal transport barrier (ITB) in ion temperature and toroidal rotation was observed and the ITB foot was just close to the position of q_min . A modulation of RSAE frequency by ELM event was observed and this modulation could be attributed to rotation decrease orq_min increase due to ELM. Further study of these modes in EAST can provide valuable constraints for the q profile measurement and will be important for the long pulse operation.     

Reversed-field pinch studies in the Madison Symmetric Torus

Studies of large-size (R=1.5 m,a=0.5 m), moderate current (I <750 kA) reversed-field pinch (RFP) plasmas are carried out in the Madison Symmetric Torus in order to evaluate and improve RFP confinement, study general toroidal plasma MHD issues, determine the mechanism of the RFP dynamo, and measure fluctuation-induced transport and anomalous ion heating. MST confinement scaling falls short of the RFP scaling trends observed in smaller RFPs, although the plasma resistance is classical. MHD tearing modes with poloidal mode numberm=1 and toroidal mode numbersn=5–7 are prevalent and nonlinearly couple to produce sudden relaxations akin to tokamak sawteeth. Edge fluctuation-induced transport has been measured with a variety of insertable probes. Ions exhibit anomalous heating, with increases of ion temperature occurring during strong MHD relaxation. The anomalous heating fraction decreases with increasing density, such that ion temperatures approach the lower limit given by electron-ion friction. The RFP dynamo has been studied with attention to various possible mechanisms, including motion-EMF drive, the Hall effect, and superthermal electrons. The toroidal field capacity of MST will be upgraded during Summer 1993 to allow low-current tokamak operation as well as improved RFP operation.     

Preliminary Design of Alborz Tokamak

The Alborz tokamak is a D-shape cross section tokamak that is under construction in Amirkabir University of Technology. The most important part of the tokamak design is the design of TF coils. In this paper a refined design of the TF coil system for the Alborz tokamak is presented. This design is based on cooper cable conductor with 5 cm width and 6 mm thickness. The TF coil system is consist of 16 rectangular shape coils, that makes the magnetic field of 0.7 T at the plasma center. The stored energy in total is 160 kJ, and the power supply used in this system is a capacitor bank with capacity of C = 1.32 mF and V _max = 14 kV.     

Observation of an Enhanced Magnetic Helicity Injection Mode by a Rotating Plasma Annulus

Coaxial plasma guns are commonly used to inject magnetic helicity in innovative confinement concepts (ICC’s) for magnetic fusion. One of the key issues in magnetic helicity injection is to maximize the magnetic helicity injection rate. We have identified experimentally an alternative way to increase the magnetic helicity injection rate through rotating plasmas by extending the length of the inner electrode of a coaxial plasma gun so that an additional E × B region interweaves the standard J//B configuration. In the so-called “enhanced helicity injection” mode, the gun voltage is larger compared with the “normal” mode and decays more slowly. Another signature of the enhanced mode is increased edge magnetic field in conjunction with larger edge rotation. The results indicate that tuning plasma rotation is another way to enhance magnetic helicity injection using coaxial plasma guns. An alternative ICC is proposed based on the experimental observations.     

One-electron capture and target-ionization in He-neutral-atom collisions

One-electron capture and target-ionization cross-sections in collisions of He⁺ ions with neutral atoms: He⁺ + A → He + A⁺ and He⁺ + A → He⁺ + A⁺ + e, A = H, He(1s², 1s2s), Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, are calculated and compared with available experimental data over the broad energy range E = 0.1 keV/u–10 MeV/u of He⁺ ions. The role of the metastable states of neutral helium atoms in such collisions, which are of importance in plasma physics applications, is briefly discussed. The recommended cross-section data for these processes are presented in a closed analytical form (nine-order polynomials) which can be used for a plasma modeling and diagnostics.     

Charge and Mass Considerations for Plasma Velocity Measurements in Rotating Plasmas

Velocity of hydrogen plasmas rotating due to imposed E × B fields at the Maryland Centrifugal Experiment (MCX) (Ellis et al., Phys Plasmas 12:055704, 2005), where E is the electric field in the radial direction and B the magnetic field in the axial direction of a cylindrical configuration, has traditionally been measured using Doppler shifts of atomic spectra from impurity elements such as carbon. Ideally, the gyrocenter of trace particles rotates at the bulk plasma velocity, regardless of the charged state or trace particle mass. However, for sufficiently large applied |E/B| (or equivalently, a sufficiently large ratio of bulk plasma rotation frequency and particle gyrofrequency), charged particles may have gyroradii that depart significantly from quasi-circular orbits drifting about the B field axis. This effect is investigated numerically with a single particle code that includes scattering, as well as experimentally at MCX. Numerical findings are compared to experimentally measured Doppler shifts of singly inonized helium and oxygen, and doubly ionized carbon atoms.     

Introduction to resonant magnetic perturbation coils of the J-TEXT Tokamak

To investigate the interactions between both the static and rotating resonant magnetic perturbations (RMP) and the tokamak plasma, two sets of coils, namely static RMP (SRMP) and dynamic RMP (DRMP), are constructed on the J-TEXT tokamak. SRMP is reconstructed from TEXT-U and mainly produces static m/n = 1/1, 2/1 and 3/1 resonant perturbation field, where m and n are the poloidal and toroidal mode numbers, respectively. DRMP, newly designed and installed inside the vacuum vessel, can generate pure 2/1 RMP. DRMP is also designed to operate in the AC mode and can produce rotating 2/1 RMP which will be used to study the tearing mode control. Due to the effect of the eddy current in the vacuum vessel wall, the amplitudes of the 2/1 component will be attenuated to about 1/3.6 of the DC value when the operation frequency is larger than 500 Hz. However, DRMP can still provide sufficient large rotating 2/1 perturbation for tearing mode related studies.